I'm looking for any information about an ancestor of my wife named (in France) Jean Baptiste Thomas (or Thoma), born in Amden near 1870, and emigrated to France.

I would be glad if you could help me during my research because I don't really know where to find informations in Switzerland. Is there something available online for those informaitons? How to consult it?...

Your wife's ancestor will be Johann Baptist Thoma: Thoma is a fairly common name in the Gaster region of canton St.Gallen and they have been citizens of Amden. So, if born in Amden, there is a fair chance the family also held the citizenship of Amden (amongst other communities).

The first thing to check would be the "Bürgerregister" which can be viewed without any restrictions, unlike the "Zivilstandsregister", which were started in 1876. Unfortunately the only place to view the Bürgerregister is the St.Gallen State Archive. I believe the Amden Bürgerregister has an index - so it shouldn't take too long to check. Next time I visit the State Archive (no promise, when!) I'll try to fit this in.

If JBT was born "too late" you'd have to contact the Civil Registry Office and ask for a "Familienschein" - which unfortunately will involve a fairly hefty fee.

The alternative is church records: more time consuming - but no restrictions to view. The Amden records have been filmed by the Mormons and may be viewed in their history centres.

There are no relevant documents online.

You do not mention any other information, like names of parents or wife: any tiny bit of information might be important to identify "your" JBT - as there may well be several Johann Baptist Thoma within a few years around 1870.

It seems compromised for further research in Switzerland for the moment. I will be patient and wait for online data.

You tell me that I don't give you a lot of informations, but I don't know anything about the parents, and he was "not" married with Marie Euphrasie Virginie Bonnefoy. So the only interesting information is the fact that in 1906, in the population census, he was living in Limeil Brévannes in France, and it is written that he was born in Amden in Switzerland, in 1870. I have no other information.

If there is no other Johann Baptist Thoma born on the same period, I think he can be the one I'm looking for.

In fact, Johann Baptist Thoma seems to have emigrated to France before 1906. He appears in the population census of Limeil- Brévannes. And then, he had a daughter with Marie Euphrasie Virginie Bonnefoy, named Julienne Marie, born in Limeil-Brévannes, dated 01 Aug 1909. Her parents were not married, so she was "recognized" by them in Limiel-Bévannes, dated 23 Aug 1909. On the document, JBT is named "Jean Baptiste Thomas" that sounds french, but he signs "Joh Baptist Thomas" that doesn't. The child was my wife's great grandmother, dead 4 years ago, and she was convinced that she was the only child.

The last thing that I have to do is to find the death date and place of JBT to know if there is more information, but for the moment, I have no idea where to look.

On the other hand, is there a genealogist club based on St Gallen, which I can ask for other question? Because, of course, I will have to find his parents and so on...

In the above mentioned entry 1495 "St.Gallen" stands next to the father's name, which I interpret that the family lived in the city of St.Gallen - so I enquired whether the family was on the police register of the city. The response was that a Johann Baptist Thoma of Amden, born 08.08.1901, was registered (parents not given) - but not the one born 18.08.1897, and his parents. So this doesn't really solve our problem .

patriceallardin hat geschrieben:On the other hand, is there a genealogist club based on St Gallen, which I can ask for other question? Because, of course, I will have to find his parents and so on...

Yes - there is: GHGO ... but if you ask there, your enquiry will end up on my desk .